American Forejst Congress 185 



provinces. The mills can saw all of the logs brought 

 to market. The great difficulty is to get the logs. The 

 system of logging must change, modern methods must 

 be used, the donkey engine, wire cable, portable rail- 

 ways, and modern methods of rafting, loading, and 

 unloading lumber vessels, all must be employed. 

 Americans familiar with such work must be employed, 

 and under their instruction a competent force of capa- 

 ble Filipinos may be trained who will learn quickly and 

 will do a large part of the work required. 



The Philippine Government is provided with just 

 and efficient courts. A new judicial system has been 

 inaugurated which gives satisfaction to all. Business 

 men in the islands have a feeling of confidence in the 

 courts which must be very gratifying to the Philippine 

 Government. The Supreme Court is composed of 

 seven judges, four Americans and three Filipinos, and 

 all have been carefully selected for fitness and integrity. 

 In cases involving $25,000 or more, appeal may be 

 made to the Supreme Court of the United States. All 

 cases before the courts are tried promptly and the 

 record of these courts would be a credit to any of our 

 States. A system of registration of land titles has been 

 adopted similar to that known as the Torrens system. 

 The land court upon sufficient proof gives a title which 

 is guaranteed by the Government. Purchases of land 

 may now be made with the proviso that the seller 

 secures a title from the land court. 



The gold standard has been adopted for the islands 

 so that the fluctuations in the currency so common 

 in the Orient is done away with in the Philippines. 

 There is and always has been since the American occu- 

 pation, a surplus in the Philippine treasury. 



The income to be derived from the new system of 

 internal revenue is expected to more than meet any 



